Today my Japanese class took a field trip to a local Japanese garden. Some of us even had the opportunity to participate in an official matcha ceremony. Matcha is a warm, bitter, thick green tea that is famous in Japan. According to an observation made by Jon Newman when he visited over winter vacation, matcha is one of the three most popular flavors in Japan. The other two are sweet red bean and of course rice in all its various forms.
Traditional matcha ceremonies last about 45 minutes and the instructors or women giving the ceremony are very deliberate in their movements. Each strict movements not only has a purpose but also adds to the "performance". The people participating in the ceremony (those drinking the tea) must also respond with utmost respect. It is very common to bow when receiving the tea and when giving it back. Bowing also occurs at the beginning and end of the ceremony. I learned some bowing basics as well as how to turn the match bowl. You turn the bowl clockwise before taking a sip of the bitter, bright green tea. This is done because you want to protect the decorative front of the bowl that is left facing you when the tea is first brought over to you. Since the bowls are perfect circles, it can be difficult to distinguish which is the front. When I went home Monday night after work, I discovered that the matcha bowl I purchased in Kyoto does in fact have a distinct face. You learn something everyday!
My Japanese Class
My Japanese Class huddled around our matcha ceremony instructor. She is wearing a light pink kimono and I am standing to her right.
Two of my Japanese teachers! From left to right: Nakamura-san, me, and Tomomi-san.
This little girls mother is a member of my Japanese class. She loved looking into the pond and shouting "Fish! Fish!". 
Walking around the Japanese garden while enjoying the beautiful day.
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